The Market Report

The last picture from the collection of historical photos I bought is this one, showing an incredible street scene of a grocer in Harlem, although again, I don't have any more specific information. I don't know the date, location, or name of the store, as it was labeled only with "Harlem market" on the back. Really an incredible picture, and the amount of detail captured here is unbelievable! On the subject of these pictures in general, from my understanding, I have a reprint of each from a private collection -- to my knowledge, these were not commercial pictures, nor are they currently under copyright by anyone. But if I'm wrong about that, please let me know! On the same token, if you'd like to use these pictures, please let me know also! One more old picture tomorrow, although admittedly it's not as striking as our last three days were. Still good!

Shop Fair Supermarkets Opened: 2019 Owner: Luis Corona Previous Tenants: Compare Foods > Associated Cooperative: Retail Grocers Group Location: 159-04 Harlem River Dr, Manhattan, NY Photographed: July 23, 2021 Before we begin, just a heads up: this was originally posted in July 2020, but was rewritten with new photos in July 2026. Now for the post! This supermarket is located in the southeast corner of the expansive, 8-acre Ralph J. Rangel public housing complex, and to the north of another complex. It was previously an Associated and before that, a Compare Foods. The switch to Shop Fair didn't involve anything more substantial than a banner over the Associated awning. Deli is immediately inside the entrance on the left side, with produce and cold cuts lining the rest of the left-side wall of the store. Meats are on the back wall, with frozen and dairy on the right side. Inside, the store still feels extremely old-school if generally well-maintained. I would estimate the...

Fine Fare Supermarkets Opened: 2010 Owner: Rudy Fuertes Previous Tenants:  Pioneer (closed 2007) Cooperative: Retail Grocers Group Location: 2497 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, Manhattan, NY Photographed:  January 9, 2020 and August 2, 2021 The former Roosevelt Theater was at some point converted to a Pioneer Supermarket, which closed in 2007 before being opened as a Fine Fare in 2010. It's around 15,000 square feet, so on the bigger side for Harlem, but competes with a much larger Pathmark-turned-Foodtown a block west. Rudy Fuertes, who also owns a handful of other Fine Fare locations in the Bronx and Manhattan, owns this store. It looks like Pioneer was under different ownership. Don't forget to say hi to Teddy Roosevelt, whose bust remains on the storefront as a relic from the Roosevelt Theater days. You enter on the left side of the store to produce in the first aisle. Meat lines the back wall, with frozen in the second-to-last aisle and dairy in the last aisle...

Today we're returning to Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd for a quick look at an Associated Fresh Market just about 20 blocks north of the Shop Fair . This store was previously a regular ol' Associated Supermarket but a 2017 renovation coincided with the rebranding. Please pardon the salt on the window. It was in the middle of winter. This store is located at 2444 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. Photographed January 2020

Heading about 10 blocks north of Shop Fair but more importantly all the way to the western edge of Manhattan, we find this CTown on Broadway. This store comes to The Market Report from contributor Nishay B., who also has photographed a few other Harlem stores coming soon. (I promise the pictures are better quality after this one!) This CTown is just a few blocks north of the CTown Fresh Market we toured on 125th St. You can take a look inside here , and it looks like the store is much nicer inside than outside, as well as more spacious inside than it looks. This one is located at 3320 Broadway, Manhattan, NY. Photographed February 2020

This 20,000 square foot supermarket opened in a historic building, the former Alhambra Ballroom in Harlem, in 2019. It's owned by Dae Kun Yoo, who also owns the Farm Country stores along with two other Shop Fair locations in Harlem. Apologies for the streetlight, but it's the best I could do. No, I was not driving. The store is located at 2110 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. Photographed January 2020

Our next group is basically the northern half of Manhattan, which is much more like the outer boroughs. The areas are slightly less dense ( slightly ), slightly less affluent, and more Latino and African American. Supermarket-wise, we'll see some familiar names: Associated, CTown, Shop Fair, Fine Fare, Key Food, Bravo, and so on. Come back tomorrow for our first store tour!

We're back in Harlem for today's store tour! What looks like a former exit door is now covered over (to the right of the entrance/exit door). For an idea of the layout, checkouts line the front wall. There is then an enormous concourse before the produce department. Aisles run parallel to the storefront with meat on the back wall. The deli/bakery is just out of frame to the left. The deli/bakery also includes a bakery counter with hot bread, which is a very nice touch we rarely see in stores. Oddly, the customer service counter is right next to the bread counter. It feels like the bread station was a much later addition as it doesn't exactly fit in with the rest of the store. Bakery and cheese in an island next to the deli, with produce just next to it. While the produce seemed to be alright for the most part, there was some confusing signage. Yep, no organic selection here. But sure, let's have that healthy life! Frozen foods run along t...